Bernard Laporte (born 1 July 1964) is a French rugby union coach, administrator and former player. Since 2023 he has been director of rugby at Montpellier. He served as French Secretary of State for Sport from 2007 to 2009, and was president of the French Rugby Federation from December 2016 to January 2023.
From 1999 to 2007, Laporte was the head coach of the France national team. He was the first fully professional head coach of France. He has also coached Bordeaux-Bègles, Stade Français and Toulon.
Playing career Laporte played rugby union at scrum-half and won the French Under-21 championship with UA Gaillac in 1983 and then again in 1984, in which he was captain. Seven years later he captained Begles-Bordeaux to the French championship (won the title in 1991).
Early coaching roles Laporte's first coaching role was in the early 1990s, when he was assistant coach of the Stade Bordelais University club between 1993 and 1995. He took over at Stade Français in 1995, who were in the third division at the time. He took them right up to the first division in three seasons, winning the respective championships. The club were crowned champions of France in 1998, when they defeated USA Perpignan 34–7 at Stade de France.
Head coach of France Laporte took over as head coach of the national team at the end of 1999. His first task was the 2000 Six Nations Championship, the first of its format, since the addition of Italy. Laporte drew on the experience of the 1999 Rugby World Cup, where France had been losing finalists (to Australia). Laporte named Fabien Pelous as captain. In France's first game under Laporte, they defeated Wales 36–3. France ended up winning three of their five matches which saw them finish second, behind winner England.
Laporte became renowned for his commitment to improving discipline; he even suspended captain Fabien Pelous once for foul play. Laporte said that discipline was not only important for team morale, but also for promoting the game of rugby: I am trying to make them understand that these acts are inadmissible... If a player goes into the sinbin, his teammates have to fill in for him. I wanted [Pelous] to realise that by being yellow-carded he simply punishes his own team. ... We are talking about the future of our sport and if we want rugby to become more successful and more media friendly, we have to take a hard line on violence.
The following season, France fell to fifth place in the 2001 Six Nations Championship, winning only two of their five matches; against Scotland and Italy. However, the following year, Laporte took France to victory in the 2002 Six Nations Championship – not only winning the tournament, but completing a grand slam.
After the massive success at the 2002 Six Nations, France fell to third place in the subsequent tournament, though they still won three of their five matches. France finished top of their pool at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia winning all four of their pool matches. France then defeated Ireland 43–21 in the quarter-finals to move into the semi-finals. They were defeated 24–7 by England in the semi-final and moved on to the third/fourth place play-off, which they lost to the All Blacks, and thus finished fourth at the World Cup.
After the strong showing at the World Cup, France reproduced their Six Nations success of 2002 at the 2004 Six Nations Championship. France won all five of their matches to win the tournament and complete another grand slam. France finished second, behind Wales in the 2005 Six Nations Championship, and the following year at the 2006 tournament, France won again, getting their third Six Nations trophy under Laporte.
After eight years in charge of the French national team, he resigned as coach following the 2007 Rugby World Cup. In his final Six Nations Championship in charge of France, his team won four out of their five games and emerged champions after edging out Ireland on points difference.
International matches as Head coach Note: World Rankings Column shows the World Ranking France was placed at on the following Monday after each of their matches Matches (2000–2007)MatchesDateOppositionVenueScore(Fra.–Opponent)CompetitionCaptainWorld Rank20001 5 February Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 36–3 2000 Six Nations Fabien Pelous N/A2 19 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 9–15 N/A3 4 March Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 28–16 N/A4 19 March Stade de France, Saint-Denis 25–27 N/A5 1 April 42–31 N/A6 28 May Stadionul Dinamo, Bucharest 67–20 Test match Abdelatif Benazzi N/A7 4 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 13–18 Autumn internationals Fabien Pelous N/A8 11 November 26–39 N/A9 18 November Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 42–33 N/A200110 4 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 16–6 2001 Six Nations Fabien Pelous N/A11 17 February Lansdowne Road, Dublin 15–22 N/A12 3 March Stadio Flaminio, Rome 30–19 N/A13 17 March Stade de France, Saint-Denis 35–43 N/A14 7 April Twickenham, London 19–48 N/A15 16 June Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg 32–23 2001 tour Fabien Galthié N/A16 23 June Kings Park Stadium, Durban 15–20 N/A17 30 June Westpac Stadium, Wellington 12–37 N/A18 10 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 20–10 Autumn internationals N/A19 17 November Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 14–13 N/A20 24 November Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne 77–10 N/A200221 2 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 33–12 2002 Six Nations Olivier Magne N/A22 16 February Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 37–33 Raphaël Ibañez N/A23 2 March Stade de France, Saint-Denis 20–15 Fabien Galthié N/A24 23 March Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 22–10 N/A25 7 April Stade de France, Saint-Denis 44–5 N/A26 15 June José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires 27–28 2002 tour Raphaël Ibañez N/A27 22 June Docklands Stadium, Melbourne 17–29 Fabien Pelous N/A28 29 June Stadium Australia, Sydney 25–31 Raphaël Ibañez N/A29 9 November Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 30–10 Autumn internationals Fabien Galthié N/A30 16 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 20–20 N/A31 23 November 35–3 N/A200332 15 February Twickenham, London 17–25 2003 Six Nations Fabien Galthié N/A33 23 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 38–3 N/A34 8 March Lansdowne Road, Dublin 12–15 Fabien Pelous N/A35 23 March Stadio Flaminio, Rome 53–27 N/A36 29 March Stade de France, Saint-Denis 33–5 N/A37 14 June José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires 6–10 2003 tour Fabien Galthié N/A38 20 June 32–33 N/A39 28 June Carisbrook, Dunedin 23–31 N/A40 22 August Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens 56–8 2003 RWC warm-up N/A41 30 August Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 17–16 N/A42 6 September Twickenham, London 14–45 Raphaël Ibañez N/A43 11 October Lang Park, Brisbane, Australia 61–18 2003 Rugby World Cup Fabien Galthié 5th44 18 October Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville, Australia 51–29 5th45 25 October Stadium Australia, Sydney 51–9 5th46 31 October WIN Stadium, Wollongong, Australia 41–14 Yannick Bru 4th47 9 November Docklands Stadium, Melbourne 43–21 Fabien Galthié 3rd48 16 November Stadium Australia, Sydney 7–24 4th49 20 November 13–40 Yannick Bru 4th200450 14 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 35–17 2004 Six Nations Fabien Pelous 4th51 21 February 25–0 4th52 7 March Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 29–22 4th53 21 March Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 31–0 4th54 27 March Stade de France, Saint-Denis 24–21 4th55 3 July Dillon Stadium, Hartford 39–31 2004 tour 4th56 10 July York Stadium, Toronto 47–13 4th57 13 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 27–14 Autumn internationals 4th58 20 November Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 14–24 4th59 27 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 6–45 5th200560 5 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 16–9 2005 Six Nations Fabien Pelous 5th61 13 February Twickenham, London 18–17 4th62 26 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 18–24 5th63 12 March Lansdowne Road, Dublin 26–19 4th64 19 March Stadio Flaminio, Rome 56–13 4th65 18 June Kings Park Stadium, Durban 30–30 2005 tour Jean-Baptiste Élissalde 4th66 25 June Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth 13–27 Dimitri Yachvili 4th67 2 July Lang Park, Brisbane 31–37 Jean-Baptiste Élissalde 4th68 5 November Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 26–16 Autumn internationals Fabien Pelous 3rd69 12 November Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes 50–6 Jérôme Thion 3rd70 19 November Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse 43–8 4th71 26 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 26–20 3rd200672 5 February Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh 16–20 2006 Six Nations Fabien Pelous 4th73 11 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 43–31 3rd74 25 February 37–12 4th75 12 March 31–6 3rd76 18 March Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 21–16 3rd77 17 June Stadionul Dinamo, Bucharest 62–14 2006 tour 3rd78 24 June Newlands Stadium, Cape Town 36–26 2nd79 11 November Stade de Gerland, Lyon 3–47 Autumn internationals 2nd80 18 November Stade de France, Saint-Denis 11–23 Raphaël Ibañez 2nd81 25 November 27–26 2nd200782 3 February Stadio Flaminio, Rome 39–3 2007 Six Nations Raphaël Ibañez 2nd83 11 February Croke Park, Dublin 20–17 2nd84 24 February Stade de France, Saint-Denis 32–21 2nd85 11 March Twickenham, London 18–26 2nd86 17 March Stade de France, Saint-Denis 46–19 2nd87 2 June Eden Park, Auckland 11–42 2007 tour Pascal Papé 2nd88 9 June Westpac Stadium, Wellington 10–61 2nd89 11 August Twickenham, London 21–15 2007 RWC warm-up Raphaël Ibañez 3rd90 18 August Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 22–9 3rd91 26 August Millennium Stadium, Cardiff 34–7 Serge Betsen 3rd92 7 September Stade de France, Saint-Denis 12–17 2007 Rugby World Cup Raphaël Ibañez 5th93 16 September Stadium de Toulouse, Toulouse 87–10 Jean-Baptiste Élissalde 5th94 21 September Stade de France, Saint-Denis 25–3 Raphaël Ibañez 4th95 30 September Stade Vélodrome, Marseille 64–7 Serge Betsen 5th96 6 October Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, Wales 20–18 Raphaël Ibañez 2nd97 13 October Stade de France, Saint-Denis 9–14 4th98 19 October Parc des Princes, Paris 10–34 6th
Record by country Opponent Played Won Drew Lost Win ratio (%) For Against 128 172 153 158 132 22 246 296 138 28 64 7 288 177 315 117 51 29 87 10 197 436 185 42 264 92 202 166 43 8 80 45 275 174 TOTAL 2848 1979
Honors French Rugby Union Championship/Top 14 Winner: 1997–98 Rugby World Cup Fourth place : 2003, 2007 Six Nations Championship Winner : 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007 Grand Slam : 2002, 2004 Runner-up : 2000, 2005 Third place : 2003 Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy Winner : 2007 Trophée des Bicentenaires Winner : November 2001, November 2004, November 2005 IRB International Coach of the Year Winner: 2002
Secretary of Sport It was announced on 19 June 2007, that after the Rugby World Cup in October, Laporte would be named Secretary of State for Youth and Sports in the government of François Fillon. He was appointed on 22 October 2007 as Secretary of State for Sports only.
He was involved in the disputes between the Amaury Sport Organisation, organizers of the Tour de France, the French Cycling Federation and the Union Cycliste Internationale.Tour de France under the control of FFC and AFLD – 3 June 2008UCI suspends French cycling federation over Paris-Nice disloyalty – The New York Times, 12 June 2008Paris-Nice 2008 : le conflit entre ASO et l'UCI – l'historique – Velowire, 3 March 2008
Laporte left this cabinet office on 23 June 2009, and was succeeded by Rama Yade.
Further club coaching Laporte returned to rugby coaching at Bayonne in 2010, but lasted only two months. Laporte was then involved with Stade Français until being signed by Toulon.
Toulon achieved enormous success under his coaching, including winning the Heineken Cup/European Rugby Champions Cup in 2012–13, 2013–14 and 2014–15.
Rugby administration Laporte was elected president of the French Rugby Federation in late 2016. In May 2017, he joined the World Rugby executive committee, taking the seat left vacant by his predecessor Pierre Camou. He was elected during the general assembly of World Rugby in Kyoto, at the expense of the president of the South African Federation, Mark Alexander.